Internal-combustion engine.



E. A. CUNNINGHAM. INTERNAL UOMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED sBPT.1,1911.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. A. CUNNINGHAM. INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1911.

1,094,779. l Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@Il vento@ UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE ERNEST A. CUNNINGHAM, OF OSKALOOSA, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF `TO JOHN I FRANKLIN HAMILTON, OSKALOOSA, IOWA.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 28, 1914.

Application filed September 1, 1911. Serial No. 647,219.

To ZZ whom it may concern.' Y

Be it known that I, ERNEST A. CUNNING- HAM, citizen of the United States, residing at Oskaloosa, in the county'of Mahaska and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines and particularly to improvements in the valve mechanism therefor.

The primary object of my invention being to simplify the valve mechanism of this class of inventions, reduce the number of parts, and provide for more direct actuation of the valves-than is possible with the valve mechanism ordinarily used.

A further object of my invention is 'to do away with the necessity of using the usual vcam actuated tappet valves vfor con` trolling inlet and exhaust of the motor and to control the inlet'of motive fluid and the outlet of burned gases by means of one continuously revolving valve driven from the crank shaft of the motor.

A' further object is to provide an engine with a series of cylinders wherein the valves of the several cylinders are driven one from another; the valve of the first cylinder of the series being .driven from the crank shaft.

A further object is to provide in connection with the above mechanism, means for opening the exhaust port of each cylinder at the moment when the piston of said cylinder has reached its outermost position after a Working stroke, thus permitting the burnt lgas to escape from the cylinder as soon as its force is spent. This makes a much cooler engine than is possible where the gasis forced back in the cylindery through a port atv the -inner or closed end of the cylinder.

A-still further-object is to provide in conf nection with'an exhaust valve located at the outer end of thecylinder, a scavenging valve located at the inner endof the cylinder through lwhich the remainder of the burnt gases are forced upon the in stroke of the piston just prior vto the suction stroke thereof.

A still furtherI object is to provide for permitting a small amount of motive Huid under compression to be forced vinto a reser-l voir upon the compressing stroke of the piston, thus providing compressed gas which inders on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

. purpose of showin may be used for starting the engine. Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View of an engine constructed in accordance with my invention, said engine having four cylinders; Fig. 2 is asectionalview of the four cylinders on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the muffling and intake manifolds being omitted; Fig. 3 is azsectionalview through the cyl- The sections shown in Figs. 2 and 3' are for the the relative positions of the parts at di erent events and hence the mechanism for operating the valves is omitted. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the gearing whereby the several valves are operated from each other and from a main driven gear. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the cylinders detached from its support, the Wall of the cylinder being partly broken .away at the port 19. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the valves Withdrawn from the cylinder. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the cylinders of my improved engine showing the pipes leading to and from the compressed gas container and showing in section thecheck valves in these pipes. Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary diametrical section of a portion of the crank case, the lower end of one of the cylinders, the oil pan, the inner rotary valve and the coacting gears to show the means whereby the gears are driven in oil.

For a clear understanding of my invention it is best to describe thc construction and operation of one cylinder, the piston therefor, and the valve mechanism, inas-y much as all the cylinders and valve mecha,- nism therefor are of the same construction.

Referring to-Figs. l and 5 and disregarding the 4exponents used with the reference numerals in Fig. l, 2v designates a cylinder .having a flange 3 at its lower end by which it is bolted or otherwise attached to the supporting frame 4, this supporting frame forming the upper end of a crank case 5, the construction of which need not be specifically described as it forms no vital part of my invention.

' The cylinder 2 is of course closed at one end and the other end is open. -This cylinder may be formed in any desired manner,v

preferably, however', it is jacketed so as to provide a water jacket spaced from the main ody of the cylinder to provide the water space 6. Disposed within the cylinder 2 is a cylindrical valve sleeve 8 which forms the valve whereby the inlet and exhaust ports of the cylinder are opened and closed. Disposed within this valve 8 and fitting snugly therein is the reciprocating piston y9 constructed in any suitable manner. 8 extends down 2 and is provided intermediate of its length with a toothed gear wheel 10 whereby the valve sleeve 8 may be rotated. rlthe valve sleeve 8 is supported in suitable bearings on the frame plate 4 so that it may rotate in a plane at right angles to the direction of movement of the piston 9, the piston 9 having a reciprocating movement relative to the leev'e 8, and of course relative to the cylin- The piston 9 is connected by a piston rod 1.1 to the crank12 on a crank shaft 13; this crank shaft is operatively connected to the gear wheel 1() so that as the crank shaft rotates the gear wheel will be rotated and rotate the sleeve 8, and for the purpose of securing a continuous rotation of the sleeve 8 by the rotation of the crank shaft 1.3 l have shown the vertical shaft 14.. This shaft is supported in suitable bearings upon the frame of the machine preferably within the crank case, and is provided at its lower end with a beveled gear 15 Vmeshing with a beveled gear 16 on the crank shaft. The upper end of the shaft 14 is also provided with a gear 17 which meshes with the gear wheel 10; thus it will be obvious that a continuous rotation of the crank shaft 13 will cause a continuous rotation in one direction of the sleeve 8.

rThe incasing cylinder 2 which incloses the valve 8 and the piston is provided with two ports 18 and 19 at its upper end, and a port 20 at its lower end. The port 18 is the inlet port, the port 2O is the exhaust port, and the port 19 is the scavenging port. The valve sleeve 8 is provided adjacent to its upper end With'the port 21 and at its lower end with port- 22. The port 21 is adapted, in the course of rotation of the valve sleeve 8, to register with either of the ports 18 or 1f), while the port 22 at the lower end of the valve sleeve 8 is adapted to register with the port 20. Upon the beginning of the suction stroke of the .engine the port 21 registers with the inlet port 18, while the port 22. is out of register with the port 20. kt the end of the workingstroke of the engine the port 2() will register with the port 22 thus permitting the burnt gases to pass oi '3 of the cylinder and almost immediately afterward the port lfl'will register with theport 21 so that upon .the inward movement of the piston from its exhaust position taken` at the begin- The valve sleevei below the incasing cylinder;

ning of the suction stroke the scavenging port 19 will be open and in register with the port 21, thus permitting the remainder of the unconsumed products of combustion to be forced out from the portsI 1S) and 2l.

The gearing whereby the valve sleeve 8 is driven from the crank shaft has such proportionand ratio that the valve 8 will make one complete revolution upon two complete revolutions of the crank shaft 12, that is, the valve will make one complete revolution upon two complete reciprocalions of the piston t). y

rlhe engine as stated before is a four-cycle engine. Assuming that the piston in its innermost position, and that the spare between the cylinder' head and the piston is illed with gas under compression, it will be obvious that upon ignition of the gas the piston will be forced outward, that is, toward the open end of the cylinder. As the piston reaches the end of its workingl stroke and nears the open end of the cylinder the valve 8 will reach a position where the exhaust port 22 will register with the exhaust port 20, and the exhausted gases will pass out through these ports. As the piston moves upward the port 22 will pass out of register with the port 20, but before this occurs the port 21 will register with the scavenging port 19, and as the piston moves upward the remainder of the exhausted gases will be forced out of the port 1t). ts the piston reaches its innermost position the sleeve or valve 8 will turn so as to carry the port. 21 ont of register with the port 19 and into register with the inlet port 18. Upon the outward stroke of the piston the gas will be drawn into the cylinder through the port 18 until the piston-has reached its lower-most position, thus completing the suction stroke. Upon. the return movement or compression stroke of the piston the port 21 will be out of register with either ot' the ports 18 or 1S) and thus the gas will be compressed in the cylinder. Vifhen the piston has reached its innermost position and the gas is under a proper vdegree of con'ipression the charge will be. ignited and the piston driven out as before described. The c ycle of the engine is precisely the same as that of any four-cycle engine. `ignition is secured in any suitable manner and l have shown for this purpose. the end of the cylinder 2 as being provided with a spark plug lhave not shown any means for completing the circuit through the spark plug as'any suitable means for this purpose may be used. I do not of course wish to be limited to any particular means for igniting the charge withinl the cylinder.

1n Fig. l I show a plurality 4of cylinders. each precisely as before described, the ports i etc. being distinguished from the like parts of one cylinder, valve mechanism, piston lll) of the other cylinders by the exponents 21, b, c and d Each of the valve sleeves 8, 8, 8 and 8d is provided with the gear wheels 10, 10", 10c and 1()d meshing one with another in series. The gearq wheel 10 is driven as previously described by means of' a shaft 14, gear 17 and gears`15 and 16. The gear wheel 10b meshes with the gear wheel 105L 'and also wit-h the gear wheel 10 which in turn meshes with the gear wheel 10d. From this construction the rotary valves of all ofthe cylinders will be rotated at the 'same rate of speed. While intermediate mechanism might be provided whereby all of the valves would rotate inthe same direction.' this is not -necessary and preferably the valve gears are connected directly to each other. With this construction the valve 8a rotates in an opposite direction from the valve 8", and the valve 8c rotates in the same direction as the valve 82l but in an opposite direction to the valve 8b, while the valve 8d rotates in the same direction as the valve 8b but in an opposite direction to the valve 8c The cranks 12, 12b, 12c and 12d are set as shown in Fig; 1 so that at the time that the piston 9a of cylinder 2L is at the end of its compression stroke and ready to begin its working stroke, the piston 9b will be at the end of its working stroke, thepiston 9 will be at the end of its intake stroke `and the piston 9d will be at the end of its scavenging stroke.

One ofthe cylinders will always Abe exhausting while another is working and the fourth scavenging or forcing out the exhausted gas. It will be obvious that I may' use as many cylinders as desired however.

In order to provide means for compressing a certain amount of charge within a. compressed gas reservoir I provide each of the sleeves 8, 8b, 8c and 8d with a pipe 24X' `connected by pipe 24 to a reservoir 25. T hese pipes 24 have a quai-tering relation to the inlet ports 18. Leading from the reservoir 25 to each of the cylinders is the inlet pipe 26 connected to each one of the cylinders by pipes 26X, the opening of each pipe 26X having a quartering relation to the opening of pipe 24. The openings of both of these pipes 24X and 26x are in line with the inlet port 18 of the cylinder so that as the responding cylinder, while each pipe 26x is provided lwith a check valve 28 permitting `the passage of fluid fromA the reservoir 25 into the 'cylinder but preventing the passage i of fluid from the cylinder into the pipe 26.

' As the valve 8 rotates it will register with the opening of pipe 26, but unless ,the valve be turned by hand, the compressed gas within the reservoir 25 cannot enter the cylinder. A degree of compression may be secured within the reservoir 25 equal to the pressure in the cylinder immediately before ignition.

The equality of the pressure is maintainedl by the check valve 27. The passage 'of the 'gas from the reservoir to the several` cylinders is controlled by the hand valve 29.A The gas cannotenter any but the proper cylinder as the port '21 in the revolving' sleeve or valve would not properly register but the cylinder that is on or just past the compression stroke. When it is required to start the engine the valve 29 is opened permitting gas to pass into the explosion chamber. During the period in which the crank moves from a point just past its dead center to a point nearly to the lower end of its stroke, by actuating the ignition devices an explosion will take place'and the engine will start. l

In order that the gears 10 for driving the several cylinders may run in oil., I provide the oil pan 31 which extends beneath the frame 4 and which has openings in its bottom through which the rotary valves 8a, 8* and 8c project. Surrounding each-of the rotary valves and forming a wall around the openings through which the rotary valves pass is a vertically disposed annular wall 32 which extends up above the bottom of the pan 31 and below the bottom thereof as illustrated in Fig. 8. Each gear 10 is attached to its respective rotary valve 8 by means` of an upwardly extendingweb 33 having the inwardly extending flange 34 which engages the rotary valve or sleeve 8 as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8. A trap is thus formed for holding the oil.v There is a suitable bearing on top of the wall 32 upon which the flange 34 bears, and between the flange 34 and the top of the crank case there is a suitable bearing, thus keeping the rotary valve 8 in place and reducing friction between the parts. These antifriction bearings may be formed in any suitable manner and I have not illustrated them as they are entirely obvious to any one skilled in the art.

' The operation of my invention will be obvious from what has gone before.

The rotation of the crank shaft will cause the rotation of the several valve sleeves, and these are so placed with relation to each iio other that the events of the cycle will occur successively in the various cylinders.

While I do not wish to be limited to any i particular arrangement for supplying mo tive fluid to the several cylinders and discharging the exhausted gases upon the sev eral cylinders, l preferably provide an inlet manifold designated 35 and an exhaust manifold designated 36, the inlet manifold being connected to the inlet port of each of the several cylinders while the exhaust manifold is connected to the several exhaust. ports and to the several scavenging ports of the cylinders.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

l. ln an internal combustion engine, the combination with a'cyliinler and a cylindrical rotatable valve fitting in'rthe cylinder, the cylinder and valve having coacting ports and the valve projecting below the cylinder, of an oil pan surrounding the valve and through which the valve projects, an annular wall on the oil pan surrounding the valve, a downvvardly extending web attached to the valve and projecting down over said Wall, a. gear wheel carried upon said web and disposed within the pan, and a coacting gear wheel disposed Within said pan and intermeshing with said first named gear wheel.

2. ln an internal combustion engine, the combination with a pluralit)T of cylinders and a plurality of rotatable valves, one for each .cylinder and located therein, said valves projecting below the cylinders, of an oil pan extending below the cylinders through the betteln of which the several Valves pass, a vertical annular wall surroimdi-ng each of the valves and projecting above and below the oil pan, downwardly and outwardly extending annular webs attached to each of the valves and extending down over the corresponding annular wall to the bottom of the oil pan, and gear wheels carried upon the respective webs and internieshing with each other.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a. cylinder and a cyln drical rotatable vaLve titting in the cylinder,

the cylinder and valve. having enactingl ports, of an oil pan surrounding the valve and cylinder, and through which the valve projects, an annular wall on the oil pau surrounding the valve, a gear wheel carried by the valve but disposed within the pan below the upper edge of said wall, and a coacting gear wheel disposed within said pan and interineshing with the first named gear Wheel.

ln testimony whereof, l atiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ERNEST A. GUNMNGHAM. a. a]

Wil uesscs Man AUGUs'riNn, H. llt. HARRIS. 

